Thursday, January 29, 2009

The Triumphant Return of Tuba Phil

Last December the Rebirth camp was dealt a terrible blow when one of their founding members "Tuba" Phil Frazier suffered an apparent stroke. In an attempt to maintain confidence in the band's ability to perform, the band quickly resumed their rigorous touring schedule with the help of their good friend Jeff Hill (of the Lil' Rascals and New Birth brass bands). The band continued on undaunted and Jeff was a brilliant replacement, but the lack of Phil's presence onstage was felt by band mates and fans alike. Since the incident, Phil has been obeying doctor's requests and quietly recovering at home.

And now the good news....

On Saturday, January 31 Tuba Phil will be making his triumphant return to the Rebirth Brass Band at the Howlin Wolf. Anticipation of this event has been strong as an outpouring of concern has appeared on various web blogs, Twitter, and Myspace.

So please help Rebirth celebrate this reunion with your attendance on Saturday, as we welcome back its most beloved member.

Also, Rebirth now has their very own YouTube channel. Check out past performances and stay tuned for more videos of the best live shows that New Orleans has to offer. In addition, if any Rebirth fans out there have any footage from shows that you would like to share with the world, please contact Matt Bodie at bodie.matt@gmail.com.